1994 PA’s Election Manifesto emphasized ....... “Dear Voter, you can rest
assured that once the PA wins, the life and property of not even a single
citizen of this country will be subjected to any risk. For in our view these
rights are sacred and inviolable under any circumstances and it is the bounded
duty of the state to protect them. It is also our responsibility to protect the
life and property of every citizen and to maintain law and order .”
Ratnapura - Sept, 1995 : Former UNP MP, Athula Attygalle was shot dead by
armed political opponents.
Ududumbara - 23rd Oct, 1995 : A UNP Central Provincial Councillor was
assassinated. All the accused are PA supporters.
Katunayake Airport - Nov, 1995 : PA thugs chased away all Taxi Drivers,
affiliated to UNP Trade Union, from Airport premises. Drivers filed
Fundamental Rights violation case. Court issued a ruling in favour of the
Drivers and found Deputy Minister, J. Fernandopulle guilty of instigating
the attacks.
Yanthampalawa - 17th Jan, 1996 : A UNP supporter was abducted. His body
on burning types was found next morning.
Kuliyapitiya - 25th Feb, 1996 : PA thugs disrupted a public rally
attended by UNP leader. A bomb was discovered at the venue.
Kalawana - 9th March, 1996 : Pannala School’s Principal and his son were
abducted and assaulted by supporters of Deputy Minister, P Wanniarachi,
allegedly for extending support to a 17 year old girl to perform a fancy
dress competition, during which the girl supposed to have imitated the
Minister.
Anamaduwa - April, 1996 : UNP Mayor of Kurunegala, a former UNP Deputy
Minister and 14 others were shot at and critically injured by PA thugs in
the process of disrupting a UNP public rally. Mr. Dassanayake, PA MP, who
led the thugs, even with 46 criminal and other chargers against him is still
at large.
Colombo - 27th July, 1996 : The Editor of ‘Satana’ and others were taken
in to custody for possessing anti-government posters.
Baddegama - July, 1996 : Preparations for a UNP public meeting was
violently disrupted by PA thugs, which prompted a clash between two parties.
A PA supporter was killed and the local UNP organizer was promptly arrested
and remanded.
Colombo 7th August, 1996 : The publisher of ‘Siya Rata’ was brutally
assaulted.
Pannala - 14th August, 1996 : A UNP supporter was brutally killed by PA
thugs for obstructing the pasting of a PA poster with the picture of a
‘skull’ on the wall of his house. The same thugs terrorized the entire
village and pasted the same poster near UNP supporter’s coffin by
threatening his family members.
Matugama - 25th August, 1996 : A UNP public meeting was disrupted by an
area PA MP and his thugs with the help of Police. Stones were pelted and
tear gas was fired in to the meeting.
Kesbewa - August, 1996 : A UNP candidate for Co-operative Election was
shot and killed by PA thugs.
Anuradhapura - 28th August 1996 : A temple ceremony connected with 50th
anniversary of UNP was disrupted by gun wielding PA thugs, firing some shots
in to the temple.
Negombo - 30th August 1996 : A church ceremony connected with 50th
anniversary of UNP was disrupted by armed PA thugs. A UNP and a PA supporter
were killed. The thugs entered church and threatened Rev. Priests and Nuns.
A PA thug climbed on the Holy Cross and abused the worshippers.
Colombo - 16th September, 1996 : ‘Lankadeeda Photographer’ was brutally
assaulted by PA thugs in the Fort Magistrate Court premises.
Negombo - 20th September, 1996 : Five UNP members were killed and several
others injured in cold blood with automatic weapons by PA thugs. Among the
killed was the former President of the UNP affiliated Taxi Drivers Union,
who won the Fundamental Right case. Families of the deceased were threatened
and told not to hold the funerals at their residences. Accordingly, a secret
funeral had to be organized in Colombo for one of the deceased.
Katana - 22nd September, 1996 : A UNP Municipal Council Member, who was a
member of the airport taxi Drivers Union was shot dead.
In the present circumstances, when democracy is under grave threat, the UNP
in the public interest, will be issuing periodical updates on the Human Rights
situation in Sri Lanka. “
